Screw-type bottle closure with locking device



E. GOLDE Jan. 23, 1962 SCREW-TYPE BOTTLE CLOSURE WITH LOCKING DEVICE Filed Oct. 23. 1959 INVENTOR. .ER/CH GOLDE PATENT AGENT Unite The general object of the present invention is to provide a screw-type closure for bottles and/or similar containers, which cannot be removed after its tirst application. Removal of the bottle contents is only possible, therefore, after the destruction of a part of said closure.

Screw-type closures made from elastic thermoplastic material are already known, which aiord a locking action through corresponding cogs below the threads on the bottle and on the inside of the closure. In another solution of the problem, the locking action is obtained by an annular trough on the inside of the closure, which snaps over an annular protrusion on the bottle neck below the thread on the latter. These constructions have the disadvantage that the two threads on the bottle and the closure are still engaged in the iinal position of the closure. It is possible, therefore, to open the lock without damage to the closure through the application of force, thereby opening the bottle.

This disadvantage has been avoided by the invention of a new bottle closure, which does not allow the opening of the bottle without visible damage to the closure. The lower end of a one or two turn thread on the bottle neck connects into an annular protrusion, which has about the same diameter as the thread. Below this protrusion the walls of the bottle neck cut back to the core diameter. Similarly, the corresponding thread in the elastic thermoplastic closure connects into an annular protrusion on the upper end of the thread. During the application of the closure onto the bottle, the closures thread is screwed over the annular protrusion on the bottle neck until iinally the annular protrusion on the inside of the closure snaps over that on the bottle neck. in order to facilitate this action the interior wall of the closure is cut outward to the core diameter above the upper end of the annular protrusion. The threads of the bottle neck and the closure are thus disengaged, and it is impossible to remove the closure by an unscrewing action. Both of the annular protrusions are then in a position which prohibits a removal of the closure by pulling in the direction of the bottle axis. Due to the central position of the annular protrusion of the closure between the two threads it is impossible to disengage the lock with the help of any tool, as it is possible on presently known locking closures.

In order to simplify the application of the closure, it is advantageous to decrease the depth of the thread on the bottle neck gradually up to the diameter of the annular protrusion. To facilitate an exact locking action of the two annular protrusions, it is advantageous to provide for a play of `a fraction of a millimeter between the two protrusions in their nal position. It is then impossible, however, to seal the bottle opening with the top plate of the closure, and it becomes necessary'to provide the closure with a hollow protrusion, which enters the bottle opening and whose outer wall is pressed against the inner wall of the bottle.

The invention will be further described with the help of FIGS. l through 4.

FIG. l shows the bottle neck in elevation and a central cross-section of the screw-type closure, preparatory to assembly,

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the bottle neck with the closure in its iinal assembled position thereon,

FIG. 3 is a central, sectional view similar to FIG. 2

States Patent O r' 3,018,013 Patented Jan. 23, 1962 but illustrating a constructional variation of the closure,

FIG. 4 is a side-elevational View of the FIG. 3 structure, and

FIG. 5 is atop plan view of this same FIG. 3 structure.

With initial reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottle neck 1 has a thread 2 with one or two turns, whose lower end connects into an annular protrusion 3 of about the same diameter as the thread. A corresponding thread 4 is on the inside of the screw-type closure 5, which is made of an elastic thermoplastic material. This thread 4 also connects into an annular protrusion 6 at the upper end of the thread 4. Above the upper end of the protrusion 6 the inner wall of the closure is cut outward to the core diameter. During the application of the closure the thread 4 with `its protrusion 6 must move easily across the protrusion 3 on the bottle neck. Therefore, it is advantageous to decrease the depth of the bottle neck thread 2 gradually just in front of the protrusion 3 up to the diameter of that protrusion at the position. indicated at 2.

With the closure 5 in its nal position, as is shown in FIG. 2, the two protrusions 3 and 6 are face to face and prohibit a removal of the closure by pulling in the direction of the bottle axis. Furthermore, the two threads 2 and 4 are completely disengaged in this position; it is thus impossible to remove the closure by a screwing action.

As is further shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper end of the closure 5 is provided with a hollow protrusion 7 which enters the bottle opening and whose outer wall is pressed against the inner wall of the bottle. A desirable play between the protrusions 3 and 6 is, therefore, without disadvantage for sealing the bottle. Furthermore, a squirt opening 8 is provided at the top of the closure, whose tip can be cut in order to remove the bottle contents.

ln the constructional variation illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a separate insert 9' is provided, which is covered by the correspondingly curved top 10 of the closure. The insert 9 seals the interior of the bottle opening with its hollow protrusion 11, where again the outer wall of the protrusion 11 is pressed against the inner wall of the bottle. The upper end of the insert 9 opens into a hole 12, which is sealed by a protrusion 13, which is part of the curved top 10 of the closure. This top 10 is in the form of a tear-strip that can be removed by tearing along the lines 14 where the thickness of the material has been reduced, thereby opening the hole 12. To facilitate such removal, lateral ears 15 are formed at the extremities of the top 10 whereby manual tearing force can be applied. The remaining elements of this closure and the bottle neck are similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and are thus designated by corresponding reference numerals.

The invention described herein shows a new principle of locking a thermoplastic bottle closure on the bottle. The closure can be manufactured in several constructional variations without a modicaton of the basic idea. Examples are closures with threads inside the bottle or closures with other possible ways of removal of the bottle contents. A description and drawing of such manifold constructional Variations is unnecessary without relinquishing the claim that those variations of the principle are covered by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A screw-type bottle closure with locking device made from elastic thermoplastic material for bottles and similar containers equipped with a corresponding thread on the bottle neck, characterized in this, that the thread on the bottle neck on its lower end and the thread on the closure on its upper end each connect into annular protrusions, and that the interior wall of the closure is cut outward to the core diameter above the upper end of the annular closure protrusion, so that during the application of the closure the closure protrusion is pulled over the bottle neck protrusion and the threads are disengaged in the nal position of the closure on the bottle.

2. Screw-type closure according to claim 1, characterized in this, thatthe seal is provided by a hollow protrusion on the closure which enters the bottle opening and whose outer wall is pressed against the inner Wall of the bottle opening.

3. Screw-type closure according to claim l, characterized in this, that the closure with a correspondingly curved top covers and seals a separate insert, which rests in the interior of the bottle neck and possesses a hole, which can be `opened by tearing the top along the lines, along which the thickness of the material has been reduced.

4. A screw-type closure for a bottle or the like having a threaded neck portion which comprises a closure body member having a thread adapted to engage the threaded neck portion of the bottle, said closure thread terminating in an annular protrusion at a position such that the protrusion is beyond the threaded neck portion of the bottle upon completion of application of the closure to the bottle whereby the threads on said closure body member and the bottle are disengaged.

5. A screw-type bottle closure according to claim 4 wherein said body member is composed of an elastic thermoplastic material.

6. In combination, a container, and a closure therefor, said container having a threaded neck portion with the thread terminating at its inner end in an annular protrusion, said closure having a corresponding thread CII adapted to engage the thread on said container during application of said closure and to pass over said annular protrusion on said container to finally become entirely disengaged from said container thread.

7. A screw-type bottle closure with locking device made from elastic thermoplastic material for bottles and similar containers equipped with a corresponding thread on the bottle neck, characterized in this, that the thread on the bottle neck on its lower end and the thread on the closure on its upper end each connect into annular protrusions, and that the interior wall of the closure is cut outward to the core diameter above the upper end of the annular closure protrusion, so that during the application of the closure, the closure protrusion is pulled over the bottle neck protrusion and the threads are disengaged in the nal position of the closure on the bottle, the depth of the bottle neck thread decreasing gradually up to the diameter of the bottle neck protrusion just in front of that protrusion.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,345,044 Hall Mar. 28, 1944 2,487,728 Quiring Nov. 8, 1949 2,752,060 Martin June 26, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 804,108 Great Britain Nov. 5, 1958 

